


Snow White (Someday My Prince Will Come)

by melicitysmoak



Series: OliciTales [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Fairy Tale, Cute Kids, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happily Ever After, Love, Romance, Suspense, no Green Arrow, olicity - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-01-26 22:27:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21381610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melicitysmoak/pseuds/melicitysmoak
Summary: Detective Oliver Queen is new to the job and new to the small town that he and his 4-yearold son William had just moved to, at the edge of the state of Maine almost a stone's throw away from Canada, far, far away from Starling City. It was a fresh start for him, a chance to leave his painful past behind - and maybe, the right time to "begin again." William, one of seven little kids in the Day Care near the Sheriff's Department, is instrumental in him getting that new beginning, when he meets Felicity Smoak. All because of apples.
Relationships: Oliver Queen & Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Series: OliciTales [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1541407
Comments: 61
Kudos: 158





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is the second fic in the OliciTales series of Arrow/Olicity AUs that take off from best-loved Disney fairy tales. (This is another repost for my tribute to Arrow and a thank you gift to those who read my stories here.)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow or its characters. They belong to DC, the CW, and Warner Bros. Neither do I own Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The animated movie version belongs to Disney.
> 
> The Cast: Oliver Queen as The Prince, Felicity Smoak as Snow White, William Queen as Happy the dwarf,   
More characters will be introduced in the next chapters.

It was Sunday afternoon. Oliver wasn’t on duty, so he was glad to be able to spend the rest of the day with his four-year-old son William. 

He and William had just moved to the small town of Houlton in Aroostook County, Maine. Aroostook is the northernmost county in the northeastern-most state, and Houlton is the last town before the US-Canadian border. They now lived thousands of miles on the other side of the country, as far away as possible from Starling City, which used to be their home. 

Oliver had taken the job of Detective at the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department when his college friend John Diggle, who was now the Sheriff in Houlton, offered him the position – the same elusive one that Oliver would have already had in Starling if he had not been passed over for promotion twice, the first time due to nepotism, and the second time due to a fallout with the police chief. Oliver gladly took the job when Sheriff Diggle told him that the county’s detective, who had served for 30 years had retired and no one else in the Sheriff’s Department had been interested, oddly because there weren’t too many interesting cases and mysteries to solve in that part of the country. 

Oliver had been waiting for an opportunity like this for the last four years. It was a change of pace. Having served in the Starling City Police Department for the last five years had taken its toll on him and he was so close to burnout. In contrast to Houlton, Starling City was a police officer’s nightmare, and he sometimes felt that not getting promoted had been a bitter “blessing” in disguise. Moving to Houlton, Oliver got his dream job without the kind of stress that might cause him to neglect William, or the kind of threat that might completely orphan his only child. 

It was also a chance to get away from the past and start a new life with his son, whose mother Samantha had been tragically killed in a shootout between bank robbers and the police when William was only a couple of months old. Oliver had been aching to get away from Starling since then, but uprooting himself and his little boy from the only family they knew and moving far away were disadvantageous for his infant son. He needed their support to raise William. But now that his son was older, he had felt that it was the right time.

Houlton was Oliver’s second chance. His new beginning. Nobody but John Diggle knew him. Sure, he missed his parents and his younger sister Thea, but he needed this. Starting over was long overdue. So, as soon as preschool closed in the first week of June, he and his son took the first plane out of Starling.

They’d moved into their new house three weeks ago, but because he had to start work immediately at the Sheriff’s Department, he hadn’t really had the time to fix everything. Some of their stuff were still in boxes, which the movers had delivered a few days before they arrived by plane. John and his wife Lyla had been kind enough to find them a decent, affordable house to live in and to receive everything that the movers delivered before they arrived.

* * *

Oliver lowered the volume of the TV to check on his son, who was busy sketching and coloring a picture on the living room floor. He loved playing with William. He also loved watching his son play or draw, often while humming a familiar tune. Because he had to be both dad and mom to his son, Oliver was often busy either with work or chores, so William had learned how to entertain himself and play by himself. One of the saddest consequences of having lost his wife just after celebrating their first wedding anniversary was that William was not going to have a sibling for some time. It’s been four long years of single parenting for Oliver, but he did not regret a single day with his son.

“Hey, buddy! What are you making there?” Oliver asked William, moving from the couch to the floor to sit beside the boy.

“Apples,” William answered.

The objects on the sheet of paper looked more like tomatoes in Oliver’s eyes. But if his son said that those were apples, then apples they were. They were, after all, red.

“Are those apples for me?” Oliver asked again.

“No…” the boy replied, the tone of his voice rising when he prolonged that one-syllable word. “Apples are for my girlfriend,” William said, excitedly thinking about his new female friend. 

“Girlfriend, huh? You never mentioned you had one,” Oliver remarked with a smile. Now it made sense to him why William was excited to go to Day Care every day. It was cute the way his son thought that he actually had a girlfriend. Lucky girl, he thought. 

“What’s your girlfriend’s name, son?”

“Her name is Fli… Flik… Flit… Flickety! Her name is Flickety!” William exclaimed, proud that he remembered how to say his girlfriend’s name. “Flickety is pretty, Daddy,” he added with a giggle.

Oliver was amused by his son. It was pretty cute, a four-year-old crushing on a girl that Oliver assumed he had met in Day Care. Even with Oliver’s long, colorful dating history, he was sure that he hadn’t started admiring cute girls until he was about seven or eight. Maybe William inherited the Queen charm, he thought. If so, Daddy was in big trouble, too early in the game.

“When can I meet Flickety?” Oliver asked his son.

“Tomorrow! When you bring me to Day Care!” William was ecstatic. “You’re gonna love her!”

Somehow, Oliver felt like he was going to like this girl (even if he thought that Flickety was a really weird name for a little girl). He believed that William – young as he was – had always been a very good judge of character. His son was a people person, outgoing; everybody loved his boy. But when it came to meeting notorious characters and people with obnoxious or eccentric personalities, William had always instinctively stayed away.

“I’m sure I will, William. I’m sure I will,” Oliver responded. “Now, finish up the apples, then come and help me fix dinner. Will you?”

“Sure, Dad!”

* * *

The next day, father and son walked into Day Care together. Oliver had time to spare before he had to report for work. They had gotten up earlier than usual because William had insisted that his dad had to come down and meet Flickety. The boy was feeling a little shy about having to give the girl his apples picture, and he wanted his dad to be there with him when he did.

William put his little Green Arrow backpack in his cubby hole and looked around. The other kids were already there, but his girlfriend wasn’t there yet. He frowned.

Oliver walked up to him and asked, “So, which one is Flickety?”

“She’s not here yet,” William answered, disappointment written all over his face. Every time William did that, Oliver was reminded of what he looked like when he was upset. His son was his “mini me.”

Oliver looked around. He knew there were only seven little boys and girls in this Day Care. He was sure, because he had asked about the group size when he signed up for William two weeks ago. All seven were already there.

“Are you sure, buddy? All seven of you are already here.”

“Flickety isn’t here yet,” William repeated, a tad bit grumpier than before.

“O-kay…” Oliver replied, unsure of how to react. Maybe there was a new girl in the group that he wasn’t aware of.

“Dad?”

“Yes, William?”

“What if she doesn’t come today? I won’t get to give her, her apples.” William looked downcast and was about to cry.

Oliver kneeled down in front of his son. “It’s okay, Will. You can give it to her tomorrow if she doesn’t come today,” he said, trying to comfort the boy.

“But if Flickety doesn’t come, who will take care of us today?” William asked. 

Oliver sensed that his son was genuinely concerned, but he was confused about who his son was actually referring to.

“Uhm… William, I don’t exactly understand what--”

“Hello, everyone! I’m here!” a cheerful female voice echoed in the room. “Sorry I’m late. Car trouble.”

“Flickety!” William yelled with glee. 

Before Oliver could turn to see who had just entered Day Care, William had already darted across the room. When Oliver stood up and saw who she was, he realized that his son’s ‘girlfriend’ was actually a grown woman. A very attractive blonde woman.

Oliver thought that his son was indeed a terrific judge of character. The lightness and brightness that this woman exuded in just a few seconds was overwhelming. Irresistible, even. 

But Oliver also thought that William had been wrong yesterday. Flickety wasn’t pretty. She was very pretty. And Oliver was going to love her, regardless of her name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think of this one. How did you like William in this fic?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to know the six other kids in Felicity's Day Care. William proposes, twice.

“Read us a story, Felicity!” requested John Jr., somewhat excitedly. 

Sheriff Diggle’s 6-year-old son was the oldest in the Day Care group, and he was very well aware of that. The boy seemed to have taken after his dad’s body built and height as well. So, J.J. had taken up leadership of the motley crew of kiddos, acting like Ms. Smoak’s assistant most of the time.

Felicity smiled and said, “Sure, J.J.!” Turning to his little sister Sara, she asked, “What would you like me to read for everyone today?”

Sara was William’s age, but she wasn’t as extroverted as Oliver’s son. She was quite the bashful and silent-type, speaking only when asked. This time though, she didn’t say a word. 

“How about your favorite?” Felicity asked again, hoping that Sara would come out of her shell. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?” Little Sara nodded her head vigorously, showing her approval. “Okay, then. Everybody, come and sit down right here,” Felicity instructed the children. She pulled a chair and sat on it, right at the edge of the carpeted reading area, facing the kids. 

Little Dani approached her, bringing the Disney princess board book and asked to sit down on the floor right beside her. Dani was the sweet and cuddly type. She was the most thoughtful and kind-hearted of the seven. 

Just as Felicity was about to begin reading, 5-year-old Sammy sneezed hard and loudly. The little boy had been taken by surprise by the itch in his nose, and he hadn’t been able to cover his nose and mouth in time. Sticky white stuff peeked out of his nostrils, and all the kids broke out in boisterous laughter.

Felicity calmly stood up and reached for the wet wipes in her bag. (She had learned on her first day on the job how very important and handy this was. She always made sure to carry a pack in her duffel bag since.) Coming back to the group, she began to clean up the mess on Sammy’s face. “Come on, kids. Let’s not embarrass Sammy any further. Okay? How would you feel if the same thing happened to you?” she said.

“That is so gross,” grumbled Darci, crossing her little arms in front of her chest. “Why does he always have to sneeze?” Felicity was just finishing wiping Sammy’s face clean. “Sammy has allergies, Darci. It’s not his fault, you know,” she explained to her and to everyone. Darci simply sighed and rolled her eyes. The little brunette was a splitting image of her mother and had also inherited the woman’s pessimistic attitude and grouchy disposition.

The laughter finally faded, and when the children calmed down, Felicity sat down once again and read the story. Even if it was something that the children had already heard before, they were still fascinated by it, especially the magic mirror and how the prince was able to wake up the princess with just a kiss. 

“And they lived happily ever after.” Felicity closed the book. The kids clapped their tiny hands except one. 3-year-old Sidney was fast asleep, seated on the carpet, but with his head hung low.

“Wasn’t that a nice story?” Felicity asked the group. She was smiling, and her dimple was showing.

“Uh-huh…” Sara spoke at last. But that was all. She was grinning widely, though, and Felicity contented herself with the little girl’s adorable face.

“Felicity, are you a princess?” Sammy asked. His question was a bit muffled, barely understandable because he was talking with a slightly clogged nose.

“I’d like to think so. When I was little, I used to imagine that I was Aurora,” Felicity answered, a bit surprised at the boy’s question.

“Of all the Disney princesses, you pick the most boring one. Aurora does nothing but sleep!” Darci remarked, earning the frowns of everyone else.

“I not sleep!” little Sidney exclaimed suddenly. Apparently, hearing the word ‘sleep’ was the little boy’s wake up call. He thought the others were making fun of him sleeping again.

“But you were!” Darci protested. 

“Yeah!” some of the children started to say. 

“Okay, okay. Cut it out!” Felicity intervened before the jeering turned into a fight. 

She was about to put away the book in the shelf when William Queen spoke from out of the blue, “Felicity, if you are a princess, do you have a prince?”

Felicity didn’t know how to answer that. She wasn’t in any relationship, hadn’t been for quite some time. Not that she didn’t want to be. But right now, her life was complicated, too complicated for her own good. It wouldn’t be fair to drag any guy into her mess, no matter how amazing he was. It was why she moved to Houlton in the first place and couldn’t even tell her mom.

Speaking of amazing guys… Felicity’s thoughts wandered off to her mornings at work in the last three weeks… and to a certain amazing guy who had been walking his son into the Day Care each day ever since they’d met. 

Oliver Queen was handsome. Well-built. Charming. Polite. Thoughtful. He had even gotten her name right already. He and his son William had brought her a small basket of apples two weeks ago when William told him that red apples were her favorite fruit. She didn’t want to read too much into it. She was, after all, his son’s teacher. Widower dads give baskets of fruits to their sons’ Day Care teacher all the time, right? But see, after that incident, Mr. Queen had asked for a parent-teacher conference twice. Felicity wasn’t sure what on earth for, since William wasn’t one to cause trouble. The boy was really smart, friendly, and totally adorable.

“Flickety?” William’s slightly raised voice snapped her out of her daydreaming.

“Uh, yes?”

“I asked if you already have a prince,” said William.

“Oh, right. I… I don’t have a prince right now. But maybe someday, the perfect prince will come to sweep me off my feet,” Felicity replied, smiling at the children.

William beamed at her. “Can I be your prince?”

Felicity chuckled. She thought William looked so cute, looking at her like that. (He reminded her of someone – the grown-up version of him that’s been brightening up her mornings.) She had noticed in the last few weeks that the boy had taken a special liking at her, perhaps even a crush. That he would verbalize this so boldly in front of his peers – she found it adorable. But she also knew that she needed to set the record straight and break it to him gently, instead of dismissing the matter and unduly keeping the boy’s hopes up. 

Felicity moved from her chair to sit with the children on the carpet, right in front of William. She took a deep breath, smiled and said to the boy, “William, honey, I think that you are a sweet, sweet little boy. You are so special, just like every little boy and girl in this group. But see, I was born way, way ahead of you, which makes me a lot older… and bigger. That’s why I will need an older, bigger prince. You still have a lot of growing up to do, but by the time you do, I’ll be even older than you are. You should probably pick a pretty princess your own size. Don’t you think so?” she asked William, ruffling his hair.

William frowned, and Felicity sensed his disappointment. She didn’t want to let the boy down, but she had to tell him nicely. Somehow, she knew that the boy was more reasonable and mature compared to the other kids in the group, so she felt confident that he could take it. But she was getting nervous, because William was still frowning. He looked like he was about to cry, but then his little lips slowly turned up for a smile.

“Guess you’re right,” William remarked, and Felicity let out a breath that she didn’t realize she was holding. She thought that William would let the topic go for now, but no. The boy squeezed her hand and said to her, “But you know what?” 

“What?” She thought she saw a twinkle in his eye.

“You can be my dad’s princess, Flickety. He doesn’t have one anymore,” William replied. 

The boy was neither sad nor elated. He was… hopeful. If he couldn’t be her prince, then he was willing to settle for the next best thing. Having her in his dad’s life meant having her in his life, too. Smart kid.

Felicity had spent the afternoon tidying up the playroom and planning for tomorrow’s learning activities. She was ready to call it a day. However, she still felt conflicted. She couldn’t get William’s offer out of her mind. She didn’t know whether she was going to feel excited and expectant, or anxious and afraid. What if there was really something special in store for her and William’s dad? Oliver Queen had been showing interest in her for weeks now, at least that’s what she thought he’d been doing. What if she was really meant to find happiness, and the untoward events of the last year had just been a bad dream that she could now wake up from? What if there was really a brighter, hopeful future for someone like her? Yet, what if she was wrong about all of this?

A knock at the door of the Day Care office interrupted her musing. 

“Hi! I’m glad you’re still here. I hope I’m not bothering you?” Oliver stood in front of her, smiling and leaning sideways against the doorpost. He was already wearing casual civilian clothes instead of his usual plain-clothes detective’s dress shirt and jacket, so, thankfully, his business with her must be of the personal rather than official nature. She liked that.

“Oh, not really. I was just about to lock up and head home,” Felicity replied. “What can I do for you, Mr. Queen?” The smile on her face mirrored the one on his.

“Felicity--”

“I know, I know. I keep forgetting. Mr. Queen was your father,” she cut him off. He’d asked her dozens of times to call him Oliver, but she was still shy about it. She wasn’t sure if it was wise to forego with the formalities because that might lead them somewhere she wasn’t ready to go. “What brings you by, Oliver?”

“William… Uh, he forgot his cap when I picked him up earlier. I was wondering if I could go get it?” 

“Oh, sure. I found it on the floor and put it in his cubby hole. Follow me.” Felicity was a bit disappointed that he wasn’t really here for her. She walked past him, leading him out to the play area where the cubby holes were. When she retrieved the red cap with the logo of The Flash in front, she handed it to Oliver.

“Here you go. Mission accomplished, I guess,” she said.

“Thanks, but not quite yet,” he replied. “I had one more thing that I wanted to ask you.”

“Conference? You worry too much about your son. He’s adjusting very well here.”

“Actually, that’s not it.”

“O-kay… Then what is it?” Felicity asked, her heart beating with nervousness and anticipation.

“I was wondering if…” He paused and took a deep breath. 

Felicity noticed his thumb rubbing against his index finger. Good, he was nervous too. 

“Felicity, would you go out to dinner with me?” Oliver asked, smiling sheepishly, scratching a fake itch at the back of his neck.

Her eyes gleamed delightfully as she replied, “Yes, I’d like that very much.”

“Great! I’ll call you then?”

“Yeah. I’ll send you a text message first.”

Oliver’s eyes narrowed in puzzlement, and when Felicity saw it, she immediately added, “Oh, your number is on William’s file.”

His face brightened. “Okay, text me then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think of that? Were you able to guess which dwarf each kid portrayed?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity go on dates and they fall for each other more and more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay in posting this update. I've just come home from a three-day, our-of-town, work-related trip. I hope you're still there, and that you like this next chapter too. :-)

Oliver and Felicity were driving back to her house. His eyes were looking straight ahead – most of the time. Felicity was well aware that he’d been watching her with his peripheral vision ever since they left the restaurant’s parking lot. Both his hands had been on the wheel, but it hadn’t taken long before his right hand had found its way to hers. Their hands had stayed intertwined since.

It had been another wonderful evening, just like the three previous dates they’d been on. But tonight was extra special because they had agreed to dress up for it. They had decided to try the newly opened Italian restaurant in the next town. When Oliver found out that Italian was Felicity’s favorite cuisine of all, he had insisted, even if she had been hesitant at first, saying that fine dining would be costlier than usual. There weren’t many restaurants in the small town of Houlton to choose from, and they had already gone to the top three options, so she agreed.

They had gone to _The Vault_ on Main Street after watching a romcom movie on their first date. They had agreed to meet at the theater, wearing casual clothes that consisted of pairs of jeans, comfortable shirts, and leather jackets. Oliver had arrived first, ten minutes early, much to his own surprise. He hadn’t been on duty that Friday night. When Felicity had arrived, it had taken his eyes and his brain a few seconds to register that it was her, because she hadn’t worn her glasses and she had let down her long, wavy blonde hair. He’d been smitten, and the only thing his voice box had been able to croak out was a weird-sounding “Hi.” 

After the movie, they had opted to walk to the restaurant, enjoying the friendly chat during the seven-minute stroll. Dinner had been even more enjoyable. They discovered their likes and dislikes. Oliver freely shared how they were able to move to Aroostook County, and why, including the tragic loss of his first wife. Felicity had told him about her childhood in Vegas and about her mother. They were both pleased to learn that Sheriff Diggle and his wife Lyla were common friends. Felicity had thought that she could get more background information about him from John and Lyla if she needed to. 

They had walked a few blocks to where they’d parked their cars near the theater, but it had taken them twice as long. Apparently, neither of them had wanted the evening to end so soon. Before they bid each other ‘good night,’ Oliver had mustered the courage to ask her out again. 

“I hope you had a good time. I sure did,” Oliver had said, opening the driver’s door of her car like a true gentleman.

“Of course! Movie was fun. Dinner was delicious,” Felicity had replied cheerfully. Then, she added, “And you make for very good company. Thank you for a lovely evening.”

That had been all the encouragement he’d needed. With heart eyes locked on to hers, he asked, “Could we, maybe, do this again next time?”

Felicity had had no second thoughts when she answered, “How about next Friday? I hope you’re not on duty, though.”

“I think I am,” he said with a grimace, but he was quick to recover. “But I’m free Sunday night.” 

So soon. Felicity had been pleasantly surprised that he had wanted to see her again in two days, but she hadn’t minded, because she had wanted to see him again soon, too. She had wondered whom he’d left William with, and who would be willing to watch him again on short notice. But Oliver had mentioned during dinner that William was with the Diggles, so her initial hesitation had faded away. Oliver, on the other hand, had been confident that John and Lyla wouldn’t mind taking William again, especially when he told them who it was that he’d be going out with. The Diggles had graciously agreed to take William that night, telling Oliver that they were very happy that he was seeing someone again after all these years. 

“That would be nice. See you Sunday, then,” Felicity had replied.

* * *

Their second date was a lot like the first one, except they had gone to the _Elm Tree Diner_ after watching an action-suspense film. Felicity discovered how much Oliver liked such movies. Oliver discovered how talkative, reactive, and jumpy she can be when she was tense and nervous. Several times throughout the movie, she had gripped his forearm so hard that he thought she’d cut off the blood circulation in his arm. During the climax of the movie, she squeezed so hard that their hands had been practically glued together until the credits rolled, and up until they had walked from the theater to the diner. Oliver had realized that they had been holding hands for the first time, and he had liked that very much. Felicity had been oblivious to it.

She had only begun to notice that they were already holding hands – and not just while walking – on their third date, which was a little different from the first two. Oliver had brought her flowers and had picked her up from her house that Saturday night. They had still seen each other every day at the Day Care, but they hadn’t gone out for almost a week. The six-day Felicity evening fast had been too much for Oliver to bear, so he had wanted to make that date extra special. Also, he had not told her where he was going to take her, choosing to take a chance that she also liked Chinese food. 

He hadn’t been disappointed. At Tang’s Chinese Cuisine, Felicity had devoured the chow mein and kung pao chicken, and she had asked for another serving of yang chow rice. Her voracious appetite had not turned him off; in fact, watching her eat with so much pleasure in her eyes had amused him. “Can’t wait til we get to the point when she’d agree to come over to my place and let me cook for her,” Oliver had told himself silently.

After dinner, Felicity had cracked open her fortune cookie. She had read what it said out loud, “You are hotter than hot-and-sour soup.” She had immediately protested, “What is that supposed to mean? Is that even a prediction of fortune?” 

Oliver had chuckled, amused by the adorable way she expressed her complaint with animated hand gestures. “Maybe not, but I won’t disagree,” he had remarked. He’d been emphatic about it, but he had avoided making eye contact with her. He really hadn’t meant to comment about how attractive she was, but the stupid cookie had brought out the naked truth that he’d been trying so hard to cover up since their first date.

Felicity was an intelligent woman, so she had picked up the meaning behind his remark. Blushing, she had stayed quite for a while, playing with the crumbs of the cookie between her fingers. He had meant it as a compliment, but she hadn’t been exactly sure how to respond. When she had finally gathered her wits, she had settled for humor. “I’d say ‘thank you’ for the compliment, but I’m not so sure I like the idea of a fortune cookie comparing me to soup.” 

They had both laughed a little, and that had cleared the tension in the air. For a while.

“What does yours say?” she asked him. 

Oliver had rolled open the piece of paper and read, “You will find true love in a bowl of hot soup.”

Felicity’s face had flushed red, and suddenly the air-conditioning in the restaurant seemed to have stopped working. “Wow… How is it that two crunchy cookies have conspired to embarrass me this way?” she thought. 

“Well, it is working,” Oliver had commented, teasing her. He had sensed her discomfort, but he was far too amused to let it go. He’d been confident that they were already at the level of friendship, at least, for him to tease her a bit.

Realizing that she had said that out loud, Felicity responded, “You think it’s funny, don’t you?”

Oliver had pressed his lips together to hold in a full-blown smile. He had thought it was funny, but he had also thought that the messages in their cookies had been coincidentally related, and that had to merit some consideration.

“Maybe,” he had replied. “But you have to admit, it does count as prediction.” Oliver had winked at her, and she had conceded.

Something had shifted between them that night. And when Oliver brought her home afterwards and asked to take her out to “dinner, dinner” (in her words), she had gladly said yes. Before they parted ways, Felicity had thanked him for another lovely date. But this time, she had gifted him with a kiss on his cheek. Oliver had walked away to his car, grinning like an idiot on cloud nine.

* * *

On this, their fourth date, Oliver had picked her up on the dot. She had enthralled him, all dressed up in her red off-shoulder lace dress that showed minimal cleavage. That had been the most daring that she thought she could do, given how conservative folks in their small town tended to be. But Felicity had been determined to wow her date, and she had more than succeeded. She, on the other hand, had been impressed by the way he had filled in his coat and tie, especially the way he fit in his dress pants. He had thought that her red lips complemented her sparkling blue eyes and captivating smile. She had thought that his nicely trimmed scruff was perfect for his handsomely chiseled face. It was a good thing that the wine, pastas, and salads they had ordered had been exceptional, enough to distract them from visually admiring each other the entire time.

And now, they were just about to end another amazing evening. Oliver didn’t want to, and neither did she. At her front door, he wanted to kiss her, but he wasn’t sure if she’d let him. Unknown to him, Felicity was hoping that he would. She didn’t want to be the first to make a move; she had already kissed him on the cheek the last time, giving him an incentive and an indication that it was okay with her for them to take their relationship to a level deeper. Nevertheless, she felt like if he didn’t kiss her soon, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from doing it first.

To her relief, she heard him whisper softly, “Felicity, is it okay if I kiss you?” Her eyes shifted from his eyes to his lips. She nodded and whispered back, “More than okay.”

After almost a minute of gentle lip-locking, intermittently interrupted by smiles and deep breaths, they pulled back. Oliver held her hands and asked her out again, to which she happily consented. They agreed to talk about where they were in their relationship on their next date. 

* * *

Oliver walked back to his car, which was parked at the curb in front of her bungalow. She went inside her house and locked the door behind her. Still feeling quite giddy and ecstatic, she went straight to her bedroom’s en suite bathroom. She really needed a relaxing, warm bath to calm herself down.

In the darkness, she noticed that her bedroom window was open. She was about to turn on her lamp and close the window when suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth. She felt a hard, pointed object making abrupt contact on her right side.

“Hello, Smoaky baby. You’re coming with me,” the familiar male voice said. 

Felicity froze. She didn’t even dare turn around. She didn’t have to. She knew it was him. He found her. She had prayed night and day that this would never happen, but it did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, which date did you like best?
> 
> The Evil Queen/Wicked Witch is now in the picture, but she's a HE in this fic. Can you guess who it is from Arrow canon? Felicity's back story begins to unravel. More on that in the next chapter.
> 
> By the way, I think I should mention that Aroostook County and the town of Houlton really exist. The first three restaurants that Olicity went to on their dates are also real places. I just Googled them a bit, but I've never actually been there. The theater and the Italian restaurant are made up. So, if there's anyone reading this who's from there, please do forgive me if there are any inaccuracies or unintentional misrepresentations.
> 
> Thanks again for reading! Just two more chapters to go.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity is in trouble. Oliver comes to the rescue.

Oliver had already made it to his car and turned on the engine, but he hadn’t left yet. Just like he had at the end of their previous date, he had waited in his car for her to get inside safely, pulling away from the curb only when he’d seen the lamp turn on in her bedroom. He was really just trying to be extra careful; he had developed that habit, become more protective of every member of his family back in Starling City since his wife’s demise. And to him, Felicity now counted as family.

He sat in the driver’s seat, grinning like a lovesick fool. He still felt like what had just happened between him and Felicity had been surreal. They had shared their first kiss, and it had been incredibly amazing. Except for his mother and his sister – which didn’t count – he hadn’t kissed a woman since his wife died, and he had forgotten how wonderful it felt to hold someone special that close. He could still feel the tingles on the digits of his hands and feet, and the warmth that crept up to his neck when her hands found their way to his chest. He could still feel her soft lips pressed against his own and smell the lavender scent of her hair. He was, no doubt, falling for Felicity. Hard and fast. He knew it, and he liked the idea.

He turned to look out the window of his car, angling his head slightly so that he could see the window of her bedroom through his car window. The room was still dark. Curious, he looked at the digital clock on the dashboard. How long had he been sitting in his car? 

After another minute, her room was still dark. Something inside him told him that something wasn’t right. Still, he waited another minute. Maybe she was still in her kitchen. The dim light in her foyer had been turned on since she closed the front door behind her and he walked back to his car. Through the other windows that were visible from where he was parked, no other light had been turned on in her house. Strange. 

So, he decided to call her. Her phone rang, but she did not pick up, and his call was directed to voicemail. He pursed his lips and shook his head. This was not good.

Oliver got out of his car and walked briskly to her front door. It was locked. “Felicity?” he called out after pressing her doorbell twice. “Felicity? It’s me, Oliver. Is everything okay?”

That was when he heard the first crash. “Felicity!” he shouted, gripping the door handle of her front door and trying to force it open. It was no use. 

Then, there was a scream, followed by another crash. “Felicity!” he yelled again in frustration. The locked door would not budge even if he tried to knock it down with his upper body. He took a couple of steps back and then kicked the front door so hard that it finally gave way.

* * *

Oliver ran to the direction where the crashing and shuffling sounds were coming from, his eyes slowly dilating and adjusting to the dimness inside the house. When he got to the door of her bedroom, he could see the silhouettes of two persons struggling. His eyes quickly made out that Felicity was pinned against the wall by a man of average height wearing a dark hoodie. When the mysterious man struck her on the cheek with the back of his hand that was holding a gun, Oliver saw red. 

“Hey! Leave her alone!” Oliver yelled, as he darted across the room in a split second.

Startled by his voice and his presence, Felicity’s attacker shoved her harshly, ramming her against the nearby dresser. Her head hit the edge of the hard wood furniture, and she fell on the floor unconscious.

Before the guy knew it, Oliver already tackled him, grabbing his wrist to force his hand to let go of his gun. They struggled, but Oliver prevailed, and the guy dropped the gun, wincing and groaning in pain because of the death grip that Oliver had on his wrist. Oliver kicked the gun away, letting it slide underneath the bed. He then punched the guy on the jaw and the stomach and kicked him on the shin, causing him to stumble down on the floor. Despite his obvious lack of skill in a hand-to-hand brawl, the guy still tried to fight Oliver off. But being the better fighter, Oliver did not take long to put him down. After a few more punches, the pathetic guy that assaulted Felicity was knocked out. Oliver’s training at the police academy and his experience as a cop in Starling City had paid off.

After turning on the lamp on her table and making sure that the assailant was indeed knocked out, he hurried to Felicity and knelt beside her. He tried to get her to respond to him, but she was unresponsive. “Felicity, can you hear me?” he asked her. He lifted Felicity from the floor a little, taking care not to shake her too much. In the dim light, he could see blood oozing out of a cut on her temple, the side of her head that had hit the edge of the dresser. The bleeding area was also beginning to swell. “Felicity, please wake up. Felicity!” He was getting more and more worried by the second.

Oliver pulled out his phone from his pocket and called in the incident. The police and the paramedics were immediately dispatched. He then carried her from the floor to her bed and laid her on it. 

“You gotta wake up, baby. Come on,” he coaxed her gently, taking care not to shake her, even if he knew full well that she couldn’t hear him in her condition. He had to try, and he kept trying until the paramedics, the deputies, and Sheriff Diggle himself arrived.

* * *

In the hospital, Felicity slipped in and out of consciousness. On both occasions that she had been somewhat lucid and slightly conversant but disoriented, she had thrown up. The doctor said that she had a mild concussion, so she had to be admitted for close monitoring. She complained of a bad headache, so she was given some pain medication. After applying ice to reduce the swelling on her head and making sure that she was aware of who she was and of her situation, the doctor let her go to sleep.

The problem was, Felicity did not wake up the next morning. The doctors told him and the Diggles that some patients have different reactions to a concussion, depending on its severity, and cautioned them not to jump to conclusions. She was still under observation. They were advised not to become overly anxious and to let the head trauma just run its course and allow her body to heal itself.

Oliver couldn’t help it, though. He realized that he already cared about Felicity very deeply. He thought it was safe and honest to say that, more than the fondness and affection that he felt for her, he actually already loved her. He was so looking forward to moving their relationship forward. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if her condition was more serious than the doctors were letting on. 

Oliver was also struggling to resist the nagging negative thought that he was going to lose another precious woman in his life because of criminal activity. He had already lost his first wife to a shooting in Starling City Bank, and back then, he wasn’t able to save her even if he and his partner were among the first responders to the robbery and hostage situation. Now, something similar happened again. And while he had been able to stop Felicity’s attacker from killing her, he was still unable to protect her from being seriously injured. He was tempted to think that he was jinxed or something, and that maybe it was better for him to just remain a single parent for the rest of his lonely life.

He looked at Felicity who was sleeping peacefully in front of him. He thought about how special she was and wondered why anyone would want to harm her. He had so many questions. He only hoped that he would still be given the chance to ask her, and that she would humor him and answer them when she wakes up.

“Wake up, Felicity. I miss you already,” he pleaded, whispering with earnest longing as he held her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next are shorter than the ones before. That's because they're supposed to be just one chapter, but I decided to split it into two. Just one more chapter left. Let me know what you're thinking. Thanks again for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity sleeps. Will true love's kiss be enough to wake her?

Sheriff Diggle came back to the hospital in the morning and stayed with Oliver. Diggle knew that his friend needed encouragement after all that’s happened, and especially when he got Oliver’s call that Felicity hadn’t woken up since past midnight. He also let Oliver know that Felicity’s attacker, a man by the name of Cooper Seldon, was behind bars, awaiting the next move of the prosecutor assigned to the case. 

“Thank you,” Oliver said to his friend. “At least there’s some good news.”

John nodded and smiled. Judging from Oliver’s body language as they were both seated on the couch in Felicity’s room, he figured that Oliver needed to know more. He and Lyla had sworn secrecy, but after what had happened to Felicity, and now that Cooper Seldon was in custody, he thought it was about time to tell Oliver the truth.

“Hey, listen, man. I think you should know that--” John began to speak, but Oliver cut him off, not rudely, just restlessly. 

“Dig, was Felicity in trouble? Who is Cooper Seldon?” Oliver asked. It wasn’t just because he had that cop-detective instinct inside him; it was also because this time, the victim was once again someone very dear to him.

Diggle looked at Felicity, lying unconscious on the hospital bed, and then he took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. “She and Seldon belonged to a group of hacktivists back in college who thought they could change the world and right society’s wrongs. From what I know, by the time they graduated, they had been more than just friends.” 

Diggle noticed how that piece of information made Oliver uncomfortable, if the change in his facial expression and the twitching of his fingers were any indication.

Surprisingly, Oliver said to him, “Please, go on.”

“She and Seldon got jobs in Boston as analysts in one of the largest subsidiaries of Kord Industries. I think you are familiar with the tech company that was originally based in Starling City. When they expanded in the east coast, they began subcontracting for high profile deals with the military.”

“Yeah, I’m familiar with Kord Industries,” Oliver commented. 

John continued to explain, “Well, Felicity had found fulfillment in her job and had moved on from hacktivism. Seldon felt differently and did not approve of her choice, so they broke up. But then last year, a mysterious security breach in the company’s system cost the company a major government contract, and Felicity suspected that she was being set up to take the fall for it. So, she did some digging to clear her name, and she recognized Seldon’s coding, which was very similar to her own. She figured out that Seldon was behind the breach in the company’s system and that he had planted a virus that she herself had created back in their hacktivist days. She was able to prove it – brilliant as she is – and her name was cleared. But, she was asked to be the star witness in the case against Seldon.”

“Did she testify in court?” Oliver asked.

“She was willing to, but no. She didn’t get to testify. During Seldon’s transfer to the courthouse for his arraignment, the vehicle was blown up. The remains of everyone involved in the explosion were charred, including Seldon’s, and he was only confirmed as deceased through his dental records. The case was closed.”

“I’m guessing Felicity was not convinced that Seldon was gone for good?” Oliver asked again.

“That’s right,” Diggle confirmed. “Lyla was the detective assigned to the case. After everything Felicity told her that Seldon was capable of, especially when it came to covering his tracks, Lyla believed her. Lyla talked to her superiors about it, but with the evidence and with the case being closed, she couldn’t get the police captain to sign Felicity up for witness protection. For some reason, Lyla had taken a liking for Felicity, having lost her younger sister in an accident some years ago, and she had made it her duty to make sure that Felicity was safe.”

“Well, I’m glad Lyla did. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gotten to meet her, Dig. She’s… She’s a remarkable woman,” Oliver said.

“That she is,” Diggle agreed. “Anyways, that happened around the time when I decided to take the job as Sheriff here in Aroostook County. Lyla gave up her job in Boston so we could move to Houlton and raise our family here. Once we got settled in, she arranged for Felicity to move here, too.” 

“Felicity was so relieved to move away from Boston, Oliver. She wouldn’t admit that there was a part of her that was still scared of Cooper Seldon showing up one day to get payback. But, Lyla and I had always known that her past continued to haunt her, and that her fear was holding her back from living a happy life. She simply said that a chapter in her life was done, that she wanted to start over in some place new, and that she was grateful that we helped her to move to Houlton. When she arrived… Man! We didn’t even recognize her. She had dyed her hair blonde and changed her wardrobe.”

Oliver’s eyes narrowed in confusion and curiosity.

“She had a Goth phase, Oliver,” Dig revealed. “She’s really a brunette, and everything about her then was… dark.” Diggle paused, a smile playing on his lips. “But you didn’t hear that from me. Are we clear?”

“Crystal,” Oliver replied, smiling back at his friend. He tried to imagine Goth Felicity but couldn’t really picture it. From the moment they’d met, she had always been sunshine and rainbows. “Well, I happen to think that blonde suits her.”

“Yeah, me too.”

* * *

The two men continued to talk until around noontime when Lyla brought William over to visit. William wasn’t old enough to understand Felicity’s medical condition, so Oliver had simply told his son that she was sleeping soundly so that she would feel better when she woke up.

“Of course, she’s sleeping, Dad. She’s Aurora!” William remarked excitedly, not quite pronouncing the name of the Sleeping Beauty princess properly. His father picked him up and put him on Felicity’s bed so that he could see her better.

“Oh, you mean the Disney princess?” Lyla asked the boy.

“Yeah! Flickety told us that she’s the sleeping princess, Dad,” William added. “And I told her that you can be her prince. You can be her prince, right, Dad?”

Oliver smiled at his son and ruffled his hair. “Sure, son. That is, if she’ll have me,” he replied. His heart was soaring inside him. He and his son haven’t even talked about him having a serious, committed relationship with Felicity, but his son already approved of her. It made everything easier for him.

“Oh, she’ll have you. I know it! But you gotta kiss her so she’ll wake up,” said William.

Diggle and Lyla chuckled at the boy’s request, and so did Oliver. He knew that a kiss did not guarantee that Felicity would wake up. That kind of thing happens only in fairy tales. But he also did not want to disappoint his son. “Alright,” he said, letting go of his son and moving towards Felicity. “I’m sure she won’t mind.” Oliver bent over and kissed Felicity on her forehead. Nothing happened. Two seconds later, still nothing happened.

William’s forehead crinkled, puzzled that the kiss hadn’t worked. But then his eyes widened, as if a light bulb had just turned on inside his head. “On the lips, Dad! You gotta kiss her on the lips!”

Oliver hadn’t straightened up completely yet. After the kiss on her forehead, he had just pulled up slightly, just enough for him to have a good look at Felicity’s beautiful face up close. He loved her already, and he didn’t need his son to tell him to kiss her on the lips twice. He wanted to, and he did.

And just like in fairy tales of princes and princesses, Felicity’s eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Hey,” Oliver voiced out sweetly.

“Hi,” Felicity echoed softly, recognizing who it was that was hovering over her. “You’re still here.”

Oliver replied, “No place I’d rather be.” He smiled at her and then came back down to kiss her again.

“Mmm…” Felicity hummed in delight. After a couple of seconds, her smile faded. She looked a bit troubled. She looked straight into his blue eyes and asked him, “Did you get him?”

Understanding what she meant, Oliver answered, “Yeah.” He smiled at her and caressed her cheek with the palm of his hand. 

Diggle added, “Cooper Seldon is going to be spending a very long time in prison paying for a long list of crimes. You don’t have to worry about him ever again, Felicity.”

She shifted her gaze from Oliver to look at William and her friends. She couldn’t help but think about how blessed she was to have them in her life. And now that Seldon is in jail, she could even reconnect with her mother Donna without fearing that she would put her in danger.

“Thank you for everything,” she told them. Everyone nodded in acknowledgement.

“Flickety,” William spoke, “Daddy said he can be your prince, if you’ll have him.”

Oliver blushed and avoided her gaze. Felicity blushed, too. She saw how expectant William was, and she was glad that the little boy approved of her being in his father’s life.

She found Oliver’s hand, and she squeezed it, asking him to look at her again. She looked up at him, tilting her head in a cute way as she smiled. “Well, can you? Be my prince?”

“I’d love to be your prince, Felicity.”

“I’d like that, too.”

Oliver bent down once again and captured her lips in a chaste but sincere kiss. It turned out that he wasn’t the only one desiring to find happiness and to begin again. Felicity wanted that, too. They had found themselves in each other. 

William cheered and clapped his hands for good measure. He was overjoyed that Flickety’s prince had finally come.

* * *

That afternoon, Felicity was released from the hospital. The doctor gave specific instructions on how to care for her in the coming days. On their way to bring her home, they picked up some apples. The Queen guys were going to take good care of her.

When Felicity was fully recovered, Oliver brought her to his house for their first date after the incident. He cooked and prepared dinner, which she absolutely enjoyed (and devoured). Afterwards, they had a really good talk, in which they clarified the status of their relationship and mutually decided to commit to exclusivity. After six months of being boyfriend and girlfriend, Oliver proposed and Felicity accepted. William was beyond thrilled when he was told that he was going to have a mom soon. After another six months, they tied the knot and honeymooned in Vegas, with their immediate family and closest friends in attendance.

Oliver and Felicity did get their second chances, in the small town of Houlton at the farthest edge of the country. And they lived happily ever after. 

THE END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there it is. I hope you liked this fairy tale Olicity AU fic. It would really be nice to hear from you now that the story has come to an end. Thank you so much for reading this. :-)
> 
> Cast of Characters:   
Felicity Smoak = Snow White   
Oliver Queen = The Prince   
William Queen = Happy the dwarf   
J.J. Diggle = Doc   
Sara Diggle = Bashful  
Darci = Grumpy   
Dani = Dopey   
Sammy = Sneezy   
Sidney = Sleepy   
Cooper Seldon = The Evil Queen/Wicked Witch   
John and Lyla Diggle = The Huntsman


End file.
